The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-02-28

MONDAY. FEB. 2s. 1887.
HAWAIIAN FERNS.
[ooNrrNuED.1

If it is desired to collect the
spores Of the ferns for growing, it
is well to be provided with squares
Of writing paper, about 6 inches
long and 4 inches wide. The fronds |
from which the spores are obtained,
should be handled carefully in order
to prevent the fully ripe spores from
being scattered. From the frOnds
should be picked the fruited pinneas
and these packed together in the
papers. Not unfrequently it will he
found, by the time the collector has
reached home, that the papers in
which the herbarium specimens have
been packed, are covered with the
fine spore dust. This can be care
fully shaken into the smaller papers
Ga bit of one of the pinnae being
added in order to identify the family
and Variety, and put away for
future use. The finest of the powder
is the sporangea, the coarscr is apt
to be made up largely of the spore
cases.
In gathering fern plants for set
ting out in our homes, great care
must be taken TO preserve the fine
roots intact. 1t will be noticed that
the tips of the thread-like rootlets
proceeding from the root stalk Cor
rhizome) are white. These tips are
the growing part of the roots, and
if they are broken off the plant
has but little chance for living.
Hence it follows that the plants
should be lifted from the ground
with care, plenty of earth being
taken up with them. After lifting
the plant the earth can be shaken
off. Then the roots should be en-
veloped in bunch of damp moss
of which plenty can usually be found
where ferns are growing-so as to
keep the roots moist.
In packing the plants for trans
portation almost all the fronds can
be removed. They should be cut
off within two or three inches of
their bases, care being taken to
preserve the unrolled fronds from
injury.
1t may be remarked just here
that the crown Of unrolled fronds is
the most important part of the fern
plant to be preserved intact. In
the varieties where there is a
"trunk" to the ferns, i. e., where
the fronds remain united for
greater Or less distance above the
ground before unrolling, the plant
will grow even if there is little or
no "root" preserved. BY cutting
off most of the developed fronds,
and wrapping the few that arc left
around the crown of the plant the
whole can be rolled in piece Of
stout paper and packed away in the
case brought for that purpose.
Another plan which answers well
(if the plants can be cared for as
soon as we reach honey is to pack
the plants-rolled in strips of thin
cotton cloth--in a bag. A quantity
of damp moss should be placed in
the bottom of the bag, and as the
plants are gathered they should be
packed in with plenty of moss about
them. They will stand carrying
for long distance on horseback if
the bag containing them is kept
screened from the direct rays Of the
sun.
On these islands, where it is taken
for granted that the fern collector
can frequently visit localities in
which ferns grow, it is not best to
try to collect too many at time.
The temptation to overload ones
self is very strong, but it must be
borne in mind that the material we
gather so abundantly in the woods
must be all cared for as soon as pos
sible after reaching home, and this
work requires considerable of an
effort of the will, when we under
take it Immediately after fatigue
ing day in the woods and on the
mountains.
, 1t must be done, however, il we
hope to utilize what we have gath
cred, and one of the first things to
do is to change our herbarium spe-
cimens into new and dry papers.
In commencing to do so, we will
congratulate ourselves on the care
| with which we have laid away the
specimens at the time we gathered
, them. Our enjoyment of the beauty
, of our specimens will be in direc
, proportion to their perfection. Hav
ing provided ourselves with sheets
of paper in which to press then
, land there is no paper we can fine
. that answers better than the THU
!, brown, silky wrapping paper mad'
! by the Chinese, and which can b.
i bought quite cheaply at any of thu
Chinese importing houses in Homo
lulu): having, repeat, sheets o
good paper, and two square of tn
galvanized wire netting spoken o
J. before. we can 60 to work. Th
5 Chinese paper, which has been re
/. commended, comes In sheets mea
] surfing 20 inches by 30, and |
always folded lengthwise twice II
the bale, SO as to make wrappe
20 by 10 inches. If the sheets O
wire netting are cut 20 by 20, tw
of these wrappers can be laid sid
NV eiJa unnn one NJ fham Thre